Deadly Binds
by NCIS Fan28
Summary: After four victim are killed in the same fashion and tied to the same forensic lab; to catch the killer Abby and Ziva are sent undercover in the lab out side of the base. But things become complicated when it's not just a typical murder and when things begin to become messy. Maybe including a little Tiva and McAbby
1. Prologue

**Something short to start us off. **

**I have had this being planned for ages, but have only just worked out how to write it. Thanks to _SSAPrentis_ and _Ziva-Tali-David_ for your suggestions - and putting up with me :)**

**I hopefully will be able to fit Tiva and McAbby into this somehow.. But no promises :)**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

* * *

If only they had seen it earlier. The motive, the killer, making the connection between the victims seemed like the easy part now.

She was on the verge of panicking, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her breath coming in pants as she tried - unsuccessfully - to clam herself from the edge of hysteria.

She wasn't panicking for her sake; but for her friend. She wasn't trained for this. She wasn't trained for fighting. She could defend herself if need be, but not as good as the others could, not in the line of fire like she had to. She was trained to conduct experiments to _find_ the bad guys... Not arrest them.

She brought her knees closer to her chest - making herself as small as possible while she hid in the back of the small shop in an alley way, but making sure that she was still near an exit in case she needed a quick escape.

Somehow - somewhere - in the rush for them _both_ to escape the threat, she had lost Ziva or Ziva had put herself between the people who were after Ziva or her or both. This was no longer about the victims or the mission or Gibbs' words to Ziva about keeping her safe. This was now an attempt to get Abby out to keep safe while Ziva held down the fort long enough to get her out before taking offensive - long enough for Tony, McGee, and Gibbs to back her up.

Their plan had worked in theory, the plan about pairing Abby with Ziva. But in reality the backup team consisting of primarily Tony and McGee - who were with them during the night when they had nothing planned and now slept in the apartment across from them - and Gibbs were too far away during the day. Abby felt it was her responsibility to help Ziva and she wasn't.

With her thoughts returning to Ziva. Questions ran through her mind at speeds faster than Ziva and Gibbs combined could drive. Where was she? Were the rest of the team with her? Was she alive? Or was Ducky with them? Was she in hospital? Ziva hated hospital; but at least it was better than the morgue. Abby shook the thoughts. She had to be positive.

Ziva would kick ass like she did every other time.

Ziva would be better than Tony in doing so.

The bad guys would all be gone when the rest of the team got there.

Ziva would live.

Ziva would _not_ be injured.

She repeated the positive thoughts over and over again until it sounded like a chant.

She pulled her phone from her pocket. The suspense would kill her; where was Ziva?

She dialled the familiar number with shaky hands having to start again a few times before hitting the _call _button.

Gibbs would know. Gibbs always knew. He would know Abby was alive even before the call. Gibbs would be able to tell if a member of his team was gone. Gibbs knew everything.

She put the phone to her ear and listened to the dull ringing of the line.

If only they had see it earlier.

* * *

**Constructive critisim is welcome.**

**Review Please :D**


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning

**Sorry if I have confused you. I'm going back a bit here and will work up to what happened in the prologue. **

**The previous chapter is the prologue of sorts and will be addressed again later in the story. Basically I knew I wanted to write this but was having trouble thinking of a beginning - I have started this chapter around ten times and scrapped it - I knew of something I wanted to happen which is where the prologue came from, I wrote that and it became the prologue.**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine.**

* * *

**_One Month Before_**

* * *

"Another civilian Boss," McGee said, "Works for the same lab as the previous three victims."

It was all routine - even if it shouldn't have been. The only thing that tied the now four victims together was the lab that they worked at, but each time the team interviewed any one at the lab they were faced with the same answer: they had no clue why they were being targeted. The only reason it stayed in their jurisdiction was because the first two victims were reservists of the Navy.

"That is no big surprise there," Tony said, as the sound of the camera shutter filled the otherwise silent room.

"Four victims and we still have no lead; I think Gibbs is just about ready to kill us," McGee said under his breath.

"Maybe we are not looking hard enough," Ziva said, "Every killer leaves something behind, even serial killers - which by the looks of it we have here - eventually make a mistake."

"And are we going to sit around and wait for this person to make a mistake Agent David?" Tony asked.

"Of course not Tony, we will just have to look deeper - they would have to leave something behind."

"Unless they work in the lab themselves," McGee said, "They would know how to handle things and not leave a trace. It is the metro's forensics lab."

The body - along with the other three - had two gunshots wounds; one to the heart and one to the head, it was a simple MO, but it was simple enough that they could effectively kill without much cleaning up aside from policing their brass and whatever they may have left behind.

"Maybe we should get Abby to come down and have a look; she claims that she can kill us without leaving any evidence,"

"No she threatens you and McGee," Gibbs said, "Get back to work,"

"What about Ziva?" Tony said.

"She's doing her work," Gibbs said, "Where is Ducky?"

"He should be here soon," Ziva called from the other side of the body, "He got caught up; there is an accident ten minutes away from here,"

Gibbs nodded once, "What happened?"

"The car hit the railing on the road and spun out of control, a car coming from the other direction hit the out of control car," McGee informed.

"The case McGee,"

"Same as the others. Two gunshots, one to the head, one to the chest, probably dead before she hit the floor. No signs of a struggle, no trace evidence, and from me looking here not touching the body there is no defensive wounds," McGee said.

"Any witnesses?"

"Only the people who found the body Boss. They're over there," Tony said.

"Talk to them; give the camera to Ziva."

"This is going to be a long case," He murmured to Ziva as he handed her the camera.

* * *

Tony and McGee had left to follow a lead that would more likely than not be a dead end.

"Gibbs," Ziva said as she turned to her boss sitting in the desk beside her, "Something that Tony said-"

"Take him up on sexual harassment charges," Gibbs suggested.

"As tempting as that might be that was not what I was going to say," She said, "At the scene he said something about getting Abby's help. I was thinking that maybe it isn't such a bad idea. We all have a different frame of mind: McGee's is technical, Tony thinks purely as a cop, you think like a marine, I think as an assassin. If the killer is within the lab then they would think as a scientist, Abby is a scientist; she could tell us her thoughts or possibly what she would do," Ziva said, "Maybe we should enlist her help."

"Or we could send her in," Gibbs replied.

"Would you really do that; I mean she doesn't have any field training-" She was cut off again.

"But she has training as a scientist; as you said."

"It would be dangerous-"

"Which would be why you would be there too."

"Me?"

"Yes you."

"Why?"

"You are the only one none of the staff of the forensic lab has seen. You are always preoccupied when I send someone over there," He said, "If I were to organise this, you would be taking responsibility for her. Anything happens to her; it's on your back."

"Gibbs; this is a serial killer we are talking about. You want to send someone with almost zero field experience into the common ground of each of the murders? We don't even have a motive," Ziva said.

"And sending agents undercover can get some Intel into why," Gibbs said, "I don't want Abby there as much as you but if this is a way to get this guy then I will give it a shot. McGee and Tony will be there too. We set our surveillance in the lab, and around where you will be staying," He said.

Ziva had a bad feeling - she was told to not listen to her gut; it had taught her to think thing through more, not acting out of impulse - she didn't bring it up with Gibbs; his gut after all was more reliable.

Which is why; two days later everything had been organised for Ziva and Abby to move into an apartments few minutes away from the lab and beginning their first day of their 'new' job the next day.

Tony, McGee and Gibbs had gone overnight and bugged the company with microphones and cameras. It was Ziva's job to bug the shared apartment. That along with microphones and cameras on them at all times; their every move would be seen and their every word would be heard. They were also equipped with earwigs to get orders from the rest of the team.

Abby was sightly excited, but Ziva was still unsure.

Before they left Gibbs pulled Ziva aside.

"Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine. Abby will be kept safe. I will not let anything happen to her. I will jump in front of a bullet. She will come back."

"Are you not planning to?" Gibbs asked.

"Of course I am, I am just saying if something happens I won't let Abby be hurt," Ziva swore.

* * *

**Review Please :) **

**I would really like any feedback; I have never written a Ziva, Abby story before and it will be a little bit of a challenge until I get my barings :)**


	3. Chapter 2: Preparing for Anything

**Writing is easy once you get past the title and the summary and setting everything up... **

**I got a review that reminded me that I am yet to tell you how what inspired this. **

**I was watching YouTube a few months ago; and I can't remember who's interview it was.. Either Cote de Pablo or Pauley Perrette.. And they said that they would like to see an episode where Ziva and Abby go undercover - It got me thinking and after a little help with the plot (SSAPrentis and Ziva-Tali-David thanks again) this is what came of it.**

**Also another review I received asked for some Tiva; I know that I have said that there will be Tiva and McAbby. I will say now; that this is going to be a Abby and Ziva centric fic and I will fit the Tiva and McAbby in where I can - but I am yet to work out exactly where that will happen. And even then there will be a bit more Tiva than McAbby because I ship Tiva first and foremost and I am very comfortable writing it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS**

* * *

"Choose your room," Ziva said as they walked into their apartment.

"How many are there?" Abby asked.

"Two. I will unpack after I finish setting up," Ziva said.

The apartment that was given to them had four rooms. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, and a kitchen/dining/living area that was a decent size. It was big enough for them while they carried out the assignment. It took Ziva an hour to set the cameras and the microphone up with in the largest room.

McGee, Tony and Gibbs would be working at NCIS but would be spending their nights in a small house between the lab they were to work at and the girls' apartment. Since they had all been to the company and spoken to a few of the people; they couldn't be directly involved which meant that they had to go about their daily routine and have limited contact. They had their stories if they were caught talking to Abby or Ziva. The house and NCIS had the camera footage at all times. Nothing would be hidden.

"So everything here is ours?" Abby asked as Ziva placed the final bug.

"No, everything here is borrowed. It has to go back; so we have to be careful," Ziva replied, "This is yours, take it out when you go in the shower."

"I know how it works Ziva, I have been undercover before," Abby said.

"Really? When?"

"Before you came to NCIS. Except it wasn't for a long time. Just to get me in and hack a computer to find the bad guy."

"Have you unpacked?"

"Yeah, I have the room on the right."

"I shall be back," Ziva said.

* * *

"Are you coming?" Ziva asked as she pulled her thin jacket over her arms.

"Where?"

"I am looking around the area," Ziva replied.

"Why?"

"It's better to know your surroundings in case something goes wrong. We should find the quickest way to get to the house where the others are and any other escapes that might be necessary."

"You're really all about the mission aren't you," Abby stated.

Ziva looked at Abby, "Well, what else did you expect? You're not going undercover with Tony."

"Tony can be serious," Abby defended.

"I know; my point is I am not going to let everything come down to chance. It is too dangerous if something was to go wrong. You do not have to come Abs."

"I know," Abby thought for a minute, "I'll come."

Ziva smiled as she held the door open for her, locking the door behind them.

Ziva wasn't allowed to carry any weapons aside from her knife which was currently in her pocket, while the knife offered some comfort - it did nothing to ease the feeling she had.

"When was your first undercover assignment?" Abby asked with curiosity filling her voice.

"I was nineteen, coming on twenty."

"What was it?" Ziva threw Abby a sideways glance, "You can't talk about it," She stated.

"I could, but if I did I would either have to kill you or wait for Mossad to track me down and kill the two of us."

"Don't talk about it," Abby said.

"I wasn't planning on it," Ziva smiled, "What's your name?" Ziva questioned suddenly.

"Abigail Sciuto," Abby replied quickly.

"No," Ziva replied.

"Oh, Ellie. And your name is Aria," She replied, "I don't understand that," She simply stated.

"Understand what?"

"Aria is an Italian name. I know that because Tony suggested it and I asked him," She said, "You're one; not Italian, and two; you have an Israeli accent."

"So? My parents like Italian names. Your name is Hebrew. I wouldn't say that you had Israeli blood in you."

"I don't."

"Exactly. There are a lot of alley ways down here," Ziva observed absentmindedly.

"That good or bad?"

"Depends. If I were being chased I would not turn down one unless it was relatively crowed. And this is an unfamiliar part of town to me as well; I wouldn't know if they lead anywhere," She said as she turned into one.

"What are you doing?"

"Familiarising myself," She replied.

They were silent the rest of the way. The alley way Ziva turned on led them in a loop a few minutes away from their apartment. The whole time they were walking Ziva memorised specific icons that could direct her if she got lost and made a mental map of the paths she took.

When they returned to the apartment Abby asked, "Do you have any idea what your doing?"

Ziva stopped her eyebrows furrowing in confusion, "I am making dinner?"

"No, when it comes to the job we are actually meant to be doing while we are undercover?"

"No, but that is why you are here. I know enough of what I need to know to get me by; and if I don't that is why you are there. I am the bait; you are effectively helping my cover?"

"Depends."

"Well, I wouldn't be able to say the chemical names and all that; I am sticking within the comfort zone with this one. All we need is a lead. Once we have that we can begin closing in on someone."

"Do you think that the killer is on the inside?"

"We don't know - that is why we are being sent in; to observe the employees' behaviour," Ziva said.

"You'll like ballistics."

"I'm not even shooting anything," Ziva complained.

"Get over it David," She heard Gibbs' voice in her ear.

"Well I see they are up now then," Ziva said.

"We've talked to the manager; he is expecting you at eight thirty to get you settled," Gibbs said.

* * *

Abby became very excitable the next day; she was looking forward to starting her 'new' job. Ziva on the other hand was a little stressed - not stressed; more worry for her friend and the fact that she was excited that she was going undercover to help catch a serial killer.

Ziva drove at a reasonable speed to the lab and walked in. They were greeted at the entrance by the manager who didn't say much until they were in his office, "I understand that the two of you are the NCIS agents," He stated. Ziva nodded while he continued, "Here are the things you will need lab coats, safety goggles, name tags. If you follow me I will show you to where you will be working. Never mind if people seem a little bitter towards you at the beginning; they have just lost four co-workers."

"Believe me Mr. Brosnan, I understand," Ziva said as she pulled her lab coat over the clothes she was wearing and pinning the name tag to the pocket.

"You will be working just around here and I hope you find what you came for, although I highly doubt any of the people are capable of murder," He said.

Ziva didn't reply; they were walking down a hall a not far from an occupied room; her replying might compromise their covers before it had begun; instead she replied with, "In here?" As she laid her hand on the door knob.

"Yes," He stated. Ziva opened the door and became overwhelmed, there were many machines that she wouldn't have the slightest clue how to use - she had seen almost all of them in Abby's lab, she had never touched though; in fear she may break something and she didn't want to be on the end of that.

Abby, on the other hand, felt right at home. There weren't many luxuries there as she had back at NCIS, which didn't bother her; she had worked in a lab similar before she began working at NCIS but she had got used to working alone - that would be the biggest challenge for her. But if it helped the team find who was killing people then she would get past it.

* * *

**As always, is there anything specific you want to see? I am writing for your entertainment (along with my own) but I can write all I want about what I want to see, but in the end you are the people reading. **

**Reviews Please :)**


	4. Chapter 3: You know Your Covers Don't

**Sorry for the wait... And when I post I'm not 100% sure I like it.. Sorry if they seem a little OOC towards the end..**

**This is going to sound nerdy.. but I'm really good at chemisty (I know there is more to forensics then chemistry) so I am having fun writing chemistry stuff :P**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine.**

* * *

"Remind me why I am doing this," Ziva groaned. Her head was ready to explode. She wasn't good at chemistry or really anything to do with forensics; she was having trouble reading the words Abby had given her to learn. They were names of medicine, compounds, molecules, names of acids and bases.

"To catch the bad guy," Abby stated, "Do you know how weird it is finding something and not having Gibbs pop up behind you asking what you have?"

"Yes, but my findings are not usually whose fingerprints are on the barrel of the gun," She replied.

"It's pretty cool isn't it," Abby smiled.

"You are enjoying this aren't you?"

"Of course," Abby said, "Did you get any leads today?"

"No, but the cameras may have caught something," Ziva replied.

"Who do you think it is?"

"Someone in there," Ziva stated, "How the hell do you say this?" Ziva suddenly said, "What the hell is it?"

"Say what?"

"This?"

For the next hour and a half, Abby helped Ziva to pronounce the complex words, what they were used for and how they were made up - just in case.

After that hour and a half they both sat on the lounge staring at the blank TV - no one had turned it on.

"What was it like before you joined Mossad?" Abby asked. She knew a bit of her life at Mossad and bits and pieces of her life outside scattered, but she never really openly talked about her childhood.

"Just like any other normal person's childhood," She replied.

"Really, you were like the eldest daughter of a high ranking Mossad officer and you're telling me life was normal?"

"My mother moved us away from him when I was nine. It was a few months before he went to Amsterdam. I was the middle child."

"Middle child?"

"I had a sister," Ziva announced.

"What is her name?" Abby asked.

"Her name was Tali," Ziva said with a sad tone.

"What happened?" She asked picking up on the tone.

"She died," Ziva ran her finger along the rim of the bottle she held.

"How?"

"Suicide bombing."

"What was she like?"

Ziva thought of the best words to describe her sister, she smiled softly before answering, "A little like you."

"What do you mean?"

"She was a very bubbly. Not as obsessed with death as you and a little more hands off - it was greatly discouraged in our house, but she saw the good in people. As usual Eli had her life planned as he did mine and Ari's, she hated it. Hated guns and the strategy, she hated the killing people and being told not to feel any emotion."

"Better than you?"

"Oh, no, I would not go that far," Ziva said with a smile, "she was better than me in a different way; not the fighting, assassin way."

"What did she look like?"

"Last time I saw her?"

"Was the last time you saw her after she died?"

"Yes."

"Before that?"

"She was tall - taller than me. Hair like mine - maybe a little lighter and it was straight. She was very beautiful," Ziva was slightly smiling at the memory of her sister.

"How many people know?"

"A few people, I don't suppose many."

"Why don't you talk about her?"

Ziva thought for a moment, "I don't know," She admitted.

"Do you feel guilty?" Abby asked.

"No, I have never felt a need to; she is important to me and that is all that matters."

"So apparently Gibbs wants us here tonight," Tony announced as he swung the door open and walked in, making Abby jump slightly.

"Why?" Ziva asked.

"I don't know," Tony replied.

"Yes you do Tony," McGee butted in, "most nights we are going to be in the room next door or here unless you organise something with the company and have people over; then we stay out of sight. This way we can get fully debriefed and you can get orders from Gibbs and what should be done during the day instead of over the phone."

"Yeah, and the house we were going to be in went off the market because someone bought it and the owner didn't want it to be rented out," Tony said, "during the day we will still be at NCIS though."

"So we are sharing with you tonight?" Ziva asked.

"Yes, until the room across is ready."

"There are only two beds," Abby observed.

"That would be about right," Ziva murmured.

McGee took a seat to the right of where the two women were seated, while Tony helped himself to a drink and sat right next to Ziva.

"So I guess us having some time to ourselves is gone," Ziva said.

"What were you two talking about?" Tony asked.

"Life."

"Funny, Ziva; I never thought you to be one that thought of life much," Tony said.

"That's not nice Tony," Abby said as she reached across Ziva and hit him.

"What's the plan for tomorrow?" Ziva asked.

"You and Abby are going back to the lab. Gibbs wants you to start asking questions," McGee said.

"Like what?" Abby asked.

"Just questions about who you're replacing, why you're replacing them," He said.

"But we know why," Abby said.

"You know, but your covers don't," McGee pointed out.

"Ziva needs to begin snooping in the next few days; Abby you need to cover her and you both need to start making friends and getting in their good books," Tony almost ordered, "Who am I sleeping with?"

"Not me," Ziva said, just loud enough that he heard her.

"I'll sleep with Ziva," he announced.

"You are not sleeping with me," She said.

"Be a little mature about this," He said, "Abby and McGee are sleeping together as well. Which one is ours?"

Ziva rolled her eyes, "The left," She told him, "What are you smiling about? You have to share a room too," She said to Abby as Tony walked into the room,

"At least the guy I'm sharing with won't try to feel me up," She giggled.

"See you in the morning," she hurriedly said as she walked to the room closing the door behind her, "This is my side of the bed; the one with the window. Your side is that side," She informed him.

"Why?"

"I like being next to the window. And you stay to your side; I'm having a shower, I'll be back and you better be on your side."

"I think you're being a little immature," Tony said.

"Look who's talking," She shot back.

* * *

"You look tired, Aria," A woman named Bella stated as she watch Ziva struggle with a word on the report she was writing.

"Yeah, I am. My boyfriend was over last night," She replied.

"Oh, one of _those_ nights?"

"No, it wasn't; he snored all night. Nothing is happening for me today, this word isn't rolling off the tongue," Ziva pointed to the word, "C-2-H-6-O."

"It probably doesn't help that English isn't your first language," She stated, "It's two carbons, six hydrogens, and one oxygen in the same molecule."

"Yes I know that; I'm having a mental blank."

"Ethanol," Bella said.

"Ethanol; of course. Thank you," Ziva replied, "How do you know that English isn't my first language?"

"You have a slight accent; you have clearly been here for a while. What country?"

"Israel," Ziva said, there was no point in lying if she could tell that she had an accent.

"Do you like it here?"

"Yeah," Ziva said as she signed the document, "I do."

"Would you go back?"

"I am a citizen here; if I go back it would be to see my family and friends that live there."

"What case are you working on?" she asked after nodding in acknowledgement of her question.

"Uh, a metro one, a man killed his girlfriend. There was alcohol in his system; zero-point-twenty. Excuse me, I need to fax this to metro," Ziva smiled kindly before leaving.

* * *

**I have no doubt that Ziva knows the chemical formula for Ethanol.. But, just play along, it was the first thing I could think of when I was writing this :P **

**Please Review :)**


	5. Chapter 4: Something

**So, sorry for the wait.. But here is the next chapter. **

**I surprisingly have got this right where I want it early :) so that just means more action, less fillers and maybe it will e easier writing so more updates more often :)**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine.**

* * *

As the day passed, Abby begun to notice that people kept away from her as she worked - which didn't bother her much because then she wasn't tripping over others feet while she tried to get to different types of equipment, she didn't give off a good vibe when working with people in the lab. Unless said person was someone like McGee who would help her with computer stuff, or Ziva with putting something back together or help her with the explosive side of things - although Ziva stood back a little more with that now rather than she did when she first joined - or Ducky when he'd help with the biological side of forensics, even Tony and Gibbs if they were helping didn't bother her. She like the company of being able to do her job with out having to worry about others contaminating evidence. Gibbs had rules about handling evidence and she knew that the rest of his team would follow them

But no one, not even the woman in the corner who kept watching her who she thought would have come up and introduced herself ages ago didn't. She was beginning to feel uncomfortable and when the door opened to reveal Ziva walking in, the sigh of relief attracted a few pairs of eyes.

"Ready for lunch?" Ziva asked her.

"Sure am," she replied taking her lab coat off and putting it on a hook near the door before walking with Ziva out of the room.

"I never thought you would be that happy to see me," Ziva stated as they made it to the front doors of the building and walked out.

"They are avoiding me," Abby replied.

"You don't like working with other people in the lab, I thought that would suit you fine," Ziva begun as the walked through the streets to find a place they'd like to eat.

"It does; but I had people watching me and not talking and it was just strange. You need to come and pay me visits," Abby told her.

"I have work to do. Speaking of work, I need you to help me write the forensics report for metro on the case I was working on," she said.

"Okay, I'll help you when we get back. Are we meeting the others?" she asked.

"No, to dangerous. They have met Tony, McGee and Gibbs. If they catch us having lunch with them it will blow our cover. But they will no doubt still join our conversations through here," Ziva explained as she subtly pointed to her left ear, "especially Tony."

"Did you find anything?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, C-2-H-6-O means ethanol," Ziva replied.

"I knew that already," Abby smiled.

"If you are talking about the case, then no, not really. I spoke to Bella who helped me with ethanol. But other than that, no," she said, "how about here?" she asked. Abby nodded and they took a seat.

"What else do you need to do today?" Abby asked.

"I need to begin asking the questions. This case will go nowhere if I cannot do that. But you need to begin making friends and asking about the person you are replacing."

"Which is...?" she asked.

_"You're the civilian that was murdered a few days ago,"_ McGee's voice sounded in their ears,_ "you're replacing Taylor Victor-" _

"She was the first victim," Abby observed.

_"Yes," _McGee said, _"Ziva's replacing Rachael Bottle. Second victim."_

"How do I ask questions?" she asked either Ziva or any of the men listening while she picked up the menu on the table.

"If I were in your position - it would be safe to assume that you are replacing someone. I would probably just come out and say it, but I already have someone friendly with me in my department so that will be easier for me. People seem to be rather hostile in you department," she observed, "does anyone stand out to you Abs?" Ziva asked.

"There is one; she sort of just does her own thing and she keeps giving me these looks," Abby remembered, "could it be her?"

_"It's worth looking into," _Tony said.

"I'll go and order, what do you want?" Ziva asked as she reached for her purse.

_"Gear up,"_ they heard Gibbs say through the ear piece, _"McGee you stay here and watch them."_

"Do you need me Gibbs?" Ziva asked.

_"No, stay there and maintain your cover. We'll inform you of anything that you need to know later."_

"Okay," she replied as she listened to Abby tell her what she wanted.

"You so want to be on the field," Abby knowingly stated.

"I am on the field," Ziva replied.

"I mean the other field where you are you and not me," she said.

Ziva looked at her momentarily: "what?" she asked, "I have never been you."

"I mean the forensics thing. You're the cop - you being you - I'm the scientist - you being me," Abby explained.

Ziva laughed once before frowning in confusion and shook her head: "I will be back in a minute," she said still chuckling lightly.

* * *

The case led them to a deserted part of a park, the tree covering keeping the body and their work from view of passer-bys and children.

"Name?" Gibbs asked as Tony pressed the victim's finger to the fingerprint scanner.

"Clare Bowen, civilian," Tony replied, "same as what metro came up with. She works at the lab. Gibbs that's five victims now. There has to be something in common. They can't all just work at the same place and get killed for it."

"If there is something in common over all of them then that's good, at least for Abby and Ziva. They shouldn't be caught up in any of it," Gibbs stated as he took some of the photos while Tony sketched before looking over the scene with a fine tooth comb.

"MO the same," Tony observed, "what's the chance of finding something?"

"Higher if they know someone's onto them and is working with them."

"Probably right," Tony said as he finished sketching the scene while Ducky and Palmer walked over to them.

"Why so late, doc?" Gibbs asked.

"I only got the call out a few moments ago Jethro."

"Need a time of death," he demanded.

"Patience," he stated.

"Gibbs, I have a footprint," Tony exclaimed as he walked further from the body. Gibbs walked over and snapped a photo before Tony grabbed the plaster to make a mould of the print.

"It's not much, but it's something," Tony said.

"It can narrow down suspects. I think we start with the toxicology department where Abby is," Gibbs said.

"What was Ziva working with ethanol earlier then?"

"I don't know, maybe ask her when you question her," Gibbs replied.

"Question her?"

"Yeah, you need the company to think she is a suspect. You need to keep Abby out of it."

"So question Ziva, but not Abby. That doesn't make sense-"

"You question both, but make Ziva look like more of a suspect than Abby. Ziva is the bait," Gibbs clarified, "get McGee on the phone and tell him to tell Ziva we need something else more than friends."

* * *

**Please Review :)**


	6. Chapter 5: You Sound Like Gibbs

**The longest chapter so far :D **

**Good news.. I have the one part - which just so happened to be the most important part - worked out over the weekend.. So I know what I'm actually writing towards now. That means that the chapters may start getting longer and have a few hints here and there now.. And I actually don't have the actuall killer yet.. Which means mystery for you and me.. But I do have about three characters that could be - and as I write a bit more that might become more.. But it will make sense :) hopefully.. This is actually the first story where I don't have a romance as a second genre which means I can focus on the crime and add a bit of Abby and Ziva talk where it fits.. But there is a small - teeny, tiny - bit of Tiva at the end.. Nothing too in your face.. I hope.. I'll try - try - to get McAbby in there somewhere.. But I'm not sure how good I'd be at writing it..**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS.**

* * *

"You were gone a while, Ellie?" a person inquired as Abby walked back into the lab, taking her lab coat and putting it on.

"Yeah, I was with Aria. She's a friend of mine, we share an apartment actually. She's pretty cool. No matter what first impressions she give you, I mean when I first met her I hated her, but now she is one of my loyalist friends. I wouldn't trade her for the world," Abby babbled.

"Nice to know," the man who asked said.

"What's your name?" Abby asked as she for the first time took in the tall, peachy skin, dark haired man standing in front of her.

"Rhys," he smiled.

"Ab... Ly," she stuttered, covering it with a cough, "sorry, Ellie," Abby smiled back.

"I know," he said.

"How?" she asked.

"You're name tag has your name," he replied flicking the tag clipped the collar, "what are you working on?"

"Blood samples from a murder victim from a few days ago. The cops want a full tox-screen, heavy metals, poisons, abnormalities, alcohol content, everything."

"Sounds fun," he replied with light sarcasm in his voice.

"Why are you saying it like that; of course it'll be fun. What's not going to be fun about it? I mean they want it by tomorrow, but that'll be easy. So easy compared to my other boss, he always wanted things done when I'd say twenty four hours in two. He ran a tight ship. But I didn't care. I love my work. I love science. You can say 'sounds fun' however you want but I will get this done and it will be the best results in all of the different labs in this building," she said with conviction.

"Okay, I don't doubt that for a moment," Rhys said as he turned to walk to what he was previously doing, "give us a shout if you need anything."

* * *

Ziva paced the empty bathroom while she waited for McGee to call her like he said he would once Gibbs got off the phone with him. She needed a sit-rep; she hated being there and not doing anything to help them track the killer that she was apparently working with. It was hard to find something out when you weren't sure what you were looking for.

Ziva didn't know much about anything with forensics. It was as if everything was spoken in code; there were so many name endings for different things. There were medicine names she had come across that she would never dream of pronouncing. She had been making a small list of notes to ask Abby about later when they returned to their apartment which they would no doubt be sharing with the boys again. She was surprised about how many times the other departments of forensics got caught up in the ballistics side of things. It did her head in.

When the phone rang, she quickly answered it.

"McGee?" she whispered.

"Yeah, Ziva it's me. Gibbs said the woman murdered was from the same company. She is a civilian; Claire Bowen. She works in botany," McGee reported, "where are you?"

"The ladies room at the lab, why?" Ziva asked.

"No reason, just the camera isn't giving much away."

"Was there any evidence?"

"A footprint in the dirt a few meters from the body."

"Anything else?" she asked.

"No, but Gibbs and Tony will be there soon to interview everyone again including you and Abby. Gibbs wants to make it look like you are a suspect and to keep Abby out of it all."

"I can do that," Ziva replied.

"Suspect not the killer, Ziva, but you don't change your behaviour, if people start to suspect you then that's a bonus."

"Okay, when are they coming?" she paced the small area.

"Once all the evidence has been taken to NCIS and they have finished with the scene. Oh, and you might need to talk to Abby; she almost made herself a little earlier."

"What did she do? Gibbs will kill me if I let anything happen to her," Ziva replied, panic and concern filling her voice.

"She was introducing herself to a guy in her department; she almost said her name instead of her alias. Came out as Ab-ly, covered it well, but she needs to be careful."

"Okay, I'll find her once I'm off the phone and talk to her; are you with us again tonight?" she asked just before the door opened to the bathroom and gained a curious look from the woman walking to one of the toilets.

"Yeah."

"So I have you to myself again tonight," she stated wearing a wide fake smile and added a small laugh, "when is your apartment going to be ready," she added slightly more seriously.

"About a week or two; well that's what they said when Tony asked them a little earlier today. You should get back before people notice you missing."

"Okay, then. I am guessing I will see you again tonight, goodbye," she said before hanging up before she turned to the mirror, looking at it as she saw the woman who walked in previously open the cubicle's door and walk to the basin.

"Boyfriend?" she asked.

"Yeah, you could say that," Ziva replied as she fiddled with her hair.

"Using him for sex?"

"I'm sorry," Ziva said letting her hands drop from her head to fully turn to the woman, "I do not believe that I caught your name?"

"Debra," she replied as she walked around Ziva to the paper towel dispenser, "there's nothing to be ashamed of, everyone does it at some point in their life."

"Has a friend being purely used for sex?" Ziva frowned.

"Yeah, I had one a few months ago before he moved interstate," Debra stated slight disappointment in her voice.

"No, I do not have a friend that I am using for sex. I think that it may be over soon. I do not know though," Ziva replied.

"Oh, sorry," she replied, "you're one of the new girls," she stated, changing the topic.

"Yes, I have only worked here a few days," Ziva began, "do you know why they have been hiring?"

A sad look crossed Debra's face: "I'm surprised you don't know," she began, "we have had people from different departments turning up dead. We had the cops investigating until one of them - Sophie - turned up dead. She was a Navy reservist. Now NCIS has taken over the investigation. The manager says that we need to continue working and hiring because this company won't work otherwise. We need the scientist," she smiled weakly.

"I'm sorry," Ziva said sympathetically, "do the police know anything?"

"They can't even tell us why they are being killed."

"Why do you think?"

"I couldn't even hazard a guess," she said.

She looked at her watch: "my test results will be ready in about a minute. I better go," she told Ziva, "I'll see you around Aria."

Ziva nodded and smiled before following Debra out.

* * *

Ziva threw her keys on the bench as she walked into the apartment, she was tense and stressed. Abby followed, a little more relaxed than Ziva did, gently placing her belongings next to Ziva's.

"Are you okay, Ziva?" Abby asked.

"Yeah, fine. Just frustrated and annoyed," she replied from the lounge.

"About what?" Abby said as she filled two glasses with water. One for her one for Ziva.

"Well, for starters I have to write a forensics report on something I don't know about. Second, I should have been at that crime scene and third... There is no third, just first and second," Ziva responded.

"Give me what you have on the report and I'll write it for you?" Abby offered.

"It is in my bag, over there," she said waving her hand in the general direction as Abby handed her the water, she uttered her thanks.

Abby walked to Ziva's bag and unzipped it.

"McGee told me you almost blew your cover?" Ziva inquired.

"I almost said my name instead of Ellie," Abby replied.

"He also told me you covered it well. Abby, you need to be careful. It is not only dangerous for you; but also for me if you say something like that and it makes us, okay. You cannot even hint we work for NCIS, and you cannot say your real name under any circumstance. I believe your name is well known in the forensics world," Ziva warned.

Abby chuckled once: "you sound like Gibbs," she said.

"So Gibbs has had this conversation with you then? You know that you cannot say anything?"

"Yeah, Ziva, I know. But that is harder than it sounds. How did you manage the first time you had a long term cover?" Abby asked as she sat at the table and began writing what Ziva needed to type for the report.

Ziva thought momentarily, the first time she went undercover it was her by herself with only back up for the odd chance she would make herself. Ziva thought about the best way to phrase the answer. She stood and walked over to where Abby sat at the table.

"The first time I went undercover I made myself. I was nineteen, making the transition from the IDF to Mossad. The target was an arms dealer who was selling weapons to a small terrorist group. I was posing as his girlfriend. It lasted a week. I almost got myself and my brother killed, and you probably don't believe me when I say this, but he was very protective of Tali and me. I am not going to force what I think of my brother on you, because I know he took away a valued member of this team, and your good friend-"

"Then why did you believe that he was innocent when you were trying to stop us from killing him?"

"That is a hard question to answer Abby," Ziva replied, "look, all I know is you are going to have to be careful. Even if there is a chance that these people have nothing to do with anything, we cannot take that chance. And Gibbs will have me assassinated if anything happens to turn this apple shaped. Even if it is through no fault of my own."

"Pear shaped," Abby corrected as the door opened.

"What are we talking about tonight, girls?" Tony asked.

"Nothing," Ziva replied, "nothing that concerns you, DiNozzo."

"Harsh."

"Not when you need to know everything everyone else is doing," Abby replied.

Tony chose to ignore the comments made towards him.

"Who is doing the forensics at NCIS?" Abby asked.

"Me," McGee replied.

Abby groaned: "again? Please tell me Tony isn't helping," she said.

"Okay, Tony isn't helping," he said.

"I will kill you both if I return to my lab and it's a mess," she threatened, "I'll get Ziva to help."

"Hey, no dragging me into this," Ziva said, "have you found anything new?"

Tony and McGee drew chairs from beneath the table, sitting in them before McGee pulled a file from a backpack.

"No, not really. The footprint is not giving us anything; it matches the victim's feet," Tony said.

"So they have killed again without leaving a trace of themselves?" Ziva almost exclaimed in frustration, "this is ridiculous. No one at the lab can even give me anything that each of the victims have in common-"

"Ziva you have asked one person," McGee reminded her.

"I have spoken to multiple people," she said.

"But you have questioned one."

"Did Abby talk to anyone while we were out?" Tony asked as he watched the younger woman work.

"Yeah, one person. People in her department are really not friendly," McGee commented, "his name is Rhys. There isn't much on the guy. No criminal record. Aside from the fact he works at a government funded forensics lab, there is nothing on him," McGee replied, "the woman you spoke to, Ziva, Debra, she also has no criminal record. And background came back on the entire company; nothing interesting, it was meant to alert me if something was found, and it was a good thing that I went through the individually, the alert played up. There is one person. He was charged with domestic abuse, he killed his girlfriend when he hit her too hard one day after a violent outburst."

"All of that and you're not going to give us a name?" Tony asked.

"Terri Warren. Works in ballistics," he replied as the others turned to look at Ziva as she thought back.

"I am yet to meet him; I do not think he has been there. I have seen his name a few times, but never him," she said, "I will ask around tomorrow," she added, "if he has a criminal record like that then how did he get into a job working for crime in the government."

"He changed his name," McGee stated.

"You look really tired, Ziva," Tony said as he watched her pinch the bridge of her nose.

"A little. More stressed, frustrated," Ziva said turning her head to look at him, "but right now I am getting a headache."

McGee looked between the duo before he looked away, choosing to help Abby with her work. He suddenly felt like he was listening to a private conversation in the way they spoke with each other and the worry that had been echoing in Tony's eyes since he deciphered her emotions.

"Why?" Tony asked.

"Just a lot to work through. A lot on my mind," she said closing her eyes momentarily before opening them and smiling slightly at him, "I think I will have a shower then go to bed – to get rid of the headache."

"Pain killers?" Tony inquired.

"No, if it wakes me during the night then I will, but it is not that bad yet," she smiled, "I will be back."

* * *

**Who is this Rhys character? The Terri character? Just for the record.. That is not a hint for anything.. not even who I am thinking of being the murderer.. Just want to see what you think :P**

**Please Review :)**


	7. Chapter 6: Wrong Line of Work

**Sorry, I wrote half this and then stopped until the other night where I wrote this and almost another whole chapter. **

**I will be editing the prologue over the next few days as well, because it doesn't make a lot of sense to where I've decided to take the story. It won't be right now, but I will get to it when I have some time and not homeworking.**

**I got a few anon reviews, I assume from the same person - I'm not having a go, any reviews are appreciated. But if you are reading, I do read through and edit my work before I post it - I am just human and somethings are going to slip through the cracks and probably even more so because I write on my iPod (which would be the source of the tense change) I read through and tun it through spell check, but if my auto-corrected changed the word and its a recognised word, it will be missed. I don't have a beta, and no real desire to have one because for one, I can tell you I write for my own enjoyment, people reading and liking it is just a bonus and two, a beta for me is like a teacher, and some of my teachers, instead of giving concrit they tell you how to write it - if that were to happen, something I do for enjoyment becomes homework. And I don't need anymore of that. So I try my best on my own. And please, if you say that its unclear who is speaking or preforming an action, can you please give me an example, because I would have changed it if it didn't make sense to me. **

**But as I said, your - and everyone else's - reviews were appreciated, thank you :)**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

* * *

When Tony walked into currently his and Ziva's room, he watched as she brushed her damp hair through with her brush as she stood in front of the dresser's mirror in the corner of the room. As the brush flowed through her long hair, the curls straightened slightly, making the wavy mess look more tamed and become smoother.

"You can stand there all you want; I can see you," she said as she laid eyes on his reflection.

"You're very highly strung tonight," he observed, "you don't need to be so hard on yourself."

"What if something happens to Abby?" she asked.

"Nothing will happen to Abby. She is perfectly capable of defending and taking care of herself," Tony replied.

"I am well aware of that," she stated as she set her hair brush on the dresser.

"Then what's bothering you?"

"She should not be in the department alone. You are too far away; I am too far away. What if something happens and any of us can't get there?" she questioned insecurity present in her voice. Tony sensed she meant to leave it rhetorical - hanging for him to think about - but he needed to answer.

She straightened the loose singlet she wore and flipped the sheets on her side of the bed back before sitting on the bed and covering her legs with the quilt. She didn't look at him as she reached for her book and began reading it. He walked to the side of the bed and sat on it, putting his hand over the book and removing it from her hands.

"Hey," she said glaring at him.

"Ziva, answer me this," he began, ignoring the look he was receiving from her, "do you really think that Gibbs would send Abby out on an undercover assignment alone?"

"No, but that-"

"No, no, let me finish. Do you really think that he would send her out with someone he didn't trust to have Abby's back?" he asked.

Ziva looked away and sighed a little in defeat as she realised where he was going: "no."

"Then why is it Abby is undercover with you?"

"Tony, you are missing my point-"

"No I'm not. Gibbs trust you to make sure nothing happens to Abby-"

"But I cannot promise that!" she silently exclaimed as she reached her small breaking point.

"That is what this is about, isn't it?" Tony stated, "you know what I think. I think that if something did happen to Abby, as long as you did the best you could, and you could prove that to Gibbs, he would forgive you. It's impossible to promise something like that in this line of work, but you still seem to do it if the person on the receiving end is important enough. You need to relax and sleep or else you're not going to be much help in the morning."

"What's happening in the morning?" Ziva asked as Tony stood from beside her and walked to his side.

"We're interviewing everyone again," he said a he lied on his back and stared at the ceiling holding the book of hers he still held above his head as he began to read where she had left off.

"What time?"

"I'm not telling; you're a suspect," he didn't have to be looking at her to tell she had rolled her eyes, "can you turn the light out?" he dropped the book to his chest.

"No, I am going to read," she said, snatching her book back and relaxing against the headboard.

"Go read somewhere else," he said.

"Go sleep somewhere else," she murmured as she stood, grabbing her book and getting her dressing gown to wrap around her before walking to the living room leaving the light on and the door open behind her.

"Real mature Ziva," she heard his voice follow her.

"What happened?" Abby asked from the table as she looked up and saw the small smirk cross Ziva's face when the door slammed shut behind her.

"Nothing," Ziva replied, "are you still working on the report?" she asked sitting in the seat she sat in before her shower.

"Yeah, but its almost done," Abby said, "all you need to do is sign it."

"Thank you Abby; could you teach me how to write them so I can do it next time. You shouldn't be left with all my paperwork on top of your own."

"It's fine Ziva, you need to focus on your work and I'll focus on mine," she replied as she looked back towards the paper on the desk.

"Where is McGee?" she asked, noting his absence.

"Not long after you went for your shower Gibbs called and wanted McGee to hack the guy's computer," Abby replied.

"Whose?" Ziva asked.

"That Terri guy," Abby said, "Gibbs is excited, he is the best lead."

"I doubt that he is excited," Ziva murmured, "should I at least be learning what these mean?" Ziva asked as she looked back down at the report.

"Come back to me if you need to go to court," Abby replied, "did you come out here to distract me or for another reason?" Abby asked with a small smirk as she eyed the book sitting on the table next to Ziva's arm.

"Tony wanted to sleep, I wanted to read," Ziva shrugged.

"So he kicked you out?"

"No, not really," she replied, "I wonder whether he would like it much if I turn the light on now," she mused.

"I probably wouldn't want to find out," Abby replied as she handed the papers to Ziva, "I've done my job. I've written it; you can type. Good night," she smiled before leaving to her room.

Ziva looked at the report. Written on paper it was close to three pages long. She sighed before she walked to where her computer case sat.

"You know, you could always do what Tony does," Abby said as she turned around at her door.

"What does Tony always do?" Ziva asked.

"Procrastinate. That wouldn't be due for another few days, right? Put it off until tomorrow," Abby suggested.

"But if I do it now, then I don't have to do it tomorrow," Ziva pointed out.

"Yeah, but if you go to bed now - you'll be asleep before Tony begins snoring," Abby said.

"Okay, you have a point," she said before walking back to her room. Keeping the door slightly ajar.

* * *

Ziva walked into the almost deserted room of the department she worked in, placing her bag on the hook her lab coat was on before she took it. She surveyed the lab making sure no one was there before she walked to the filing cabinet in the corner of the rather large room.

She pulled on the top draw. Locked. She patted the pockets of her plain black pants and her white lab coat before trying the sides of the cabinet and finding the key. She pulled the small silver from the hook and pushed it into the key hole turning it until it unlocked before opening the top draw.

She flicked through the first few files, they were mainly records of cases, photocopies of old evidence logs and hard copies of reports. Going through each door one by one, folder by folder, she missed the door sliding open and another employee walking in.

"Good morning, Aria," a man's voice said from behind her, startling her, causing her to abruptly slam the door of the draw she was up to and spinning around to face the person who interrupted her.

"Hi," she smiled, heart beating in her chest hard and fast, "I find it interesting how everyone seems to know my name, but I know no one's," Ziva smiled as she folded her arms over her chest in a casual fashion as she leant against the draws while he walked to his hook.

"You're the new kid on the block, and so is your friend, Ellie? Yeah Ellie. MY friend Rhys works with her. Anyway, I'm Glen, if that helps," he smiled charmingly at her, "what's a girl like you doing working in a ballistics lab?" he asked.

"Fire arms have always interested me. My father worked with them so I have grown up with them. You?"

"Long story short: I've always wanted to work around weapons," he said.

A silence settled around them for a moment while they began to do their respected jobs.

"Do you know Terri Warren?" Ziva asked.

"Yeah, he works here, but hasn't been showing up for the past few weeks," Glen recalled, "about the same time people began showing up dead actually."

"Dead?"

"Yeah, about five people have been murdered. I would have thought you'd have known that?" He questioned.

"Yes, slipped mind for a moment," she murmured.

"Why did you want to know who he is?" Glen asked.

"I've seen his name around but I have never met him," Ziva stated.

* * *

"Do you know her?" Tony asked, placing a photo of Clare Bowen as he walked towards the table before leaning against the wall, watching the face of the woman opposite them in the interview room.

"Of course I do, I've worked with her before - Clare," the woman - Debra - said.

"Do you know why she was walking towards the opposite side of town, five miles from her house?" Tony continued.

"No, why would I? Are you accusing me of something?" She asked.

"Oh, no," he stated, "just wondering why she was closer to your house than hers when we found her two days after she died?"

He avoided the stare of the two agents for a moment before he looked back at them: "she was with me two nights ago. We had a get together like we do every month - she's a good friend of mine, we went to the same college - she came back to my place because she insisted that she would catch a taxi to get home instead of me dropping her off. After she left my place I couldn't tell you what happened to her."

"So you're the last person to see her alive?"

"Look, I don't know what happened to her. But I do know that because of this we are short staffed which means I need to get back to work," she argued.

"Anything strange happening around here?" Tony questioned otherwise ignoring the man.

"The only thing strange is the two new girls. No one else has been taking up the open positions except them, everyone else is too afraid to. I know plenty of people who would love a job here but don't want to get caught up in a serial killer's plot," she stated.

"Serial killer?" Tony asked, "what makes you say that?"

"News, and the fact that everyone has been killed is from here," she said, becoming increasing agitated.

"You know," Tony said as he sat down in front of her, "for someone who claims that Ms Clare Bowen is a close friend, you seem impressively calm about the fact that she's dead."

"It's just a matter of time before whoever this person is wipes put the whole company. And I bet one of those two women has something to do with it. Just yesterday, Aria was talking to me about it. She said she was talking to her boyfriend, but I could tell she was lying. She also asked me why they were hiring and asking if the cops knew anything," she explained.

"Ever think that this Aria just wants to know why so many positions have opened up?" Tony questioned.

"Only four had," she replied.

"But since the second murder people had resigned, that's a bit more than four positions," he pointed out.

"Still stands. I'd be talking to them, not me, not anyone else," she stubbornly insisted.

"Okay, since you think you're in the wrong line of work, question: they're in, why keep killing?" He asked.

* * *

"Ellie," Abby heard her alias name called as she walked past the supervisor of the department's office. She took a step back and walked through the door.

"Yes, sir?" She stated.

"You busy?" he asked, glasses slipping down his nose.

"No, I just finished my last job," she said.

"Great," he began, "you think you can work on this, it needs to be analysed, it has various bodily fluids. Full screening," he ordered, pointing to the tray and clip board in front of him.

Abby stepped towards to desk as he added: "remember to keep the chain of evidence up."

"Would never forget," she murmured, slightly irritated by the fact someone thought she would forget something trivial.

She walked to her section of the lab as she pulled a pen from her top pocket preparing to fill out the form on the evidence bag and the hard copy of the chain of evidence when something caught her eye.

On the clip board in different coloured pen for the different people were the names standing to her like a sore thumb: Sarah McDonald, Jen Clear, Sophie West, Clare Bowen. Each victim listed in order of their murders.

Abby stared blankly in disbelief momentarily. She looked edgily over both her shoulders as she pulled her phone from her pocket. With one last quick glance, she changed to camera mode and photographed the list before she continued with her work.

* * *

** Please Review :)**


	8. Chapter 7: Worry

**So, I wrote the first half straight after writing the last chapter before that was posted - meaning the first part would have been written during the late hours of the night, and the last half was finished last night between 12 and 2 on my iPod, the characters are probably OOC btw, so this is either going to be a good chapter or a really bad chapter, I hope its the first :)**

**I think Ziva and Gibbs might be OOC and the scene with Tony and McGee, I'm not sure about but I like it even if McGee is a little OOC too.**

**I have edited the prologue and there's going to be a change in the summary soon as well.**

**Disclaimer: Not Mine**

* * *

"How much caffeine have you had today?" Ziva asked while they walked to the apartment where Tony and McGee were no doubt waiting for them after watching Abby out the corner of her eye the entire trip from the lab. The woman was more jittery than Ziva had seen her in a while, "or is something on your mind?"

"Are Tony and McGee going to be at the apartment?" she asked.

"I think so. Are you okay?"

"I need to show you something, I think I found something," Abby replied in a low voice.

The door, as expected, was unlocked, but that didn't stop edgy Ziva slowly opening it and checking before calmly walking in. Not missing the knowing smirk on Tony's face that told her he knew exactly what she was doing.

"People are on to you Ziva, and Abby too," Tony announced as the door shut behind Abby.

"Abby has news," Ziva replied, her voice holding an edge.

"Well tell ours if you tell us yours," McGee compromised.

"What is this? High school?" Tony questioned looking between the three other people in the room.

"Abby's news. Not mine. I have no idea what it's about," Ziva stated ignoring Tony's comment as she sat around the table, the two men and Abby following suit.

"Abby can go first then," McGee said.

"I think we should. The way Abby is acting seems like ours would be very anticlimactic," Tony said.

"Someone just go," Ziva demanded.

"Are you okay?" McGee asked.

"Yeah, just not in the mood for games," she replied.

"Okay, then. Tony interviewed Debra - the woman you spoke to yesterday-" McGee begun.

"And apparently you both go around killing people because you got jobs at the lab. She was pretty determined to prove that to me," Tony interrupted.

"So we are right where we want to be?" Ziva asked.

"At the moment you are," McGee stated before they all looked towards Abby, who simply pulls her phone out and showed brought the picture to the screen. She placed it on the centre of the table and sat back as the three agents leant forward to see it.

A slight moment was quiet, before they all looked up looking between each other and then towards Abby.

"Where did you find this?" Ziva asked.

"A chain of evidence form. My supervisor wanted me to run a tox screen on some body fluids. I - as I do whenever I look at the logs - look at who was there before me and I noticed it," Abby explained, "I thought it might be useful."

"Maybe it's the link?" Tony said as he looked towards McGee.

"Maybe it's the head of the case?" McGee suggested.

"Someone at the lab covering for a friend?" Ziva said.

"Someone covering their own tracks?" Tony added.

"Do you know where these came from?" McGee questioned.

"Some case. I've only worked with this so far, I haven't seen any files or anything," Abby replied, "I've just run the tests."

"You still run the tests?" Ziva asked for clarification.

"Well, yeah," Abby replied.

"So you added your name to the list?" Ziva questioned, her eyes slid closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Not my name, my cover's name," Abby said, "what else was I going to do? Just leave it?"

"Yes, you should have," Ziva snapped.

"Ziva," Tony warned, noting the tone in her voice

"I couldn't do that," Abby rebutted, "you needed me to work, I worked. I can't break it; you have to fill it out every time you use it."

"She's right," McGee felt the need to point out, attempting to divert Ziva's attention from Abby.

"You know that this-" Ziva pointed to the phone, ignoring McGee "- could very well be what this person is using as a hit list for whatever reason. You have just added yourself to it," Ziva said fiercely, in an almost scolding tone.

"Ziva," Tony tried to calm Ziva, seeing Abby becoming slightly distressed at her words, "its okay. It's not a big deal."

"Not a big deal?" She replied, turning to Tony, her attention no longer fixed on Abby, "if someone checks that - like the killer - then they can track it to Abby," she told him.

Tony stood and took hold of her upper arms, beneath her shoulders, firmly; but not aggressively, forcing her to stand before directing her to the door: "you and I need to talk," he hissed in her ear as he opened the door while she demanded him to let go of her arms.

McGee looked towards Abby who was staring questioningly back. He remained silent for a moment longer.

"You did good," as he took the seat next to her which Ziva was previously sitting in, "you did what you had to, you saw something, photographed it and brought it back," he praised.

"Is she right, Timmy?" Abby asked.

"Depends on whether it's viable or not Abby, the evidence log could have just happened by chance," he said, not believing it as much as she did. But she didn't say anything, choosing to accept his attempt of comfort. He pulled his chair close to hers when he saw unshed tears of shock at Ziva's reaction threatening to spill, wrapping an arm around her, pulling her close to his side.

"I'm sure she is just as pleased as we are that you found something and what she said wasn't meant to come out like it did," he offered, "she's probably just worried."

* * *

"What the hell was that about?" Tony demanded letting Ziva go once he had turned her to face him.

"She could have just put herself in danger," she told him.

"No, you're working off a theory. She is doing what she was meant to be - her job, which includes filling out chain of evidence forms and conducting tests. You had no right to go off at her like you did," Tony defended Abby.

"She is undercover," Ziva insisted in a harsh whisper as they began walking down the street.

"It's her first time undercover like this. She is expected to make mistakes. Don't you tell me you didn't. We can't all be ex-Mossad operatives who specialised in assassinations and covert and undercover assignments. She is a forensic scientist, not a field agent-"

"Which is why she should not even be here in the first place," Ziva said.

"And who else could we have sent in? Not me, I wouldn't no the first thing about toxicology," Tony said.

"McGee, maybe? He specialises in computer forensics," she pointed out.

"But is built for the field. What he knows helps us on the field. We need him here so he can do his thing," Tony said, "and let's just remember who suggested this."

"You. You did, you said something and then I said we should ask for her help, not throw her in the middle of it all," she argued.

"Actually it was Gibbs," Tony said, "remember that conversation we had the other night about why you were so worked up. Do you remember why I said?"

Ziva rolled her eyes looking around in a way to let him know that she wasn't appreciating the talk.

"Yes," she finally said.

"Remember how I said that Gibbs wouldn't have let Abby go if she didn't think that you were capable enough to keep both her and you safe?"

"Yes, but you are missing my point, Tony. If this is in fact the link - what is tying each victim and she added herself to it then how am I meant to protect her effectively. The whole plan is wrong, I am no longer the bait - Abby is."

"It's hard to have bait when you don't have a common ground," Tony said, "you need to go back upstairs and apologise, then we need to talk to Gibbs and get this revised, we will need a different approach. But stop putting all of this upon yourself. I know you're worried, but you don't have to scare her."

The walked back towards the apartment in silence, Ziva consumed in her thoughts. She looked up when she heard a car door slam outside of the building.

"Isn't that...?" Tony asked slightly squinting into the distance.

"Yep, call McGee and tell them to get their covers back," Ziva ordered.

"I think you need to remember your ranking," he grumbled beneath his breath but continued to dial McGee's number while Ziva walked ahead.

"Aria," one of the two men announced lying eyes on her as she approached.

"Glen," Ziva smiled, "what are you doing her?" She asked to the person she recognised.

"We'll, it's been a week since you took to job, we thought it was about time that we made you feel welcome and have a little fun. Maybe for us to forget about what has been happening over the past few weeks while we're at it," he explained, "we usually go out once a week after work."

Tony hung up the phone and walked closer behind Ziva, causing the four others to look at him.

"You know Agent DiNozzo?" Glen asked.

"Only met him today," the lie rolling effortlessly off her tongue, "he is here to talk to me about the person who died the other day. I'm sorry for the loss, I was not aware that she had died," she added, "do you want to come up to our apartment?"

She typed the code onto the pad and opened the door for the three men, waiting for Tony, Glen and his friend before following them up. She knocked once on the door before she opened it.

Abby and McGee had both stood up. McGee was handing over his business card to Abby, telling her to call if she knew or thought of anything else.

"I have a few more questions for you," Tony told Ziva, "do you mind if I talk to you outside?"

"Not at all," Ziva stated, walking back out and shutting the door behind her. She followed him a little further down the hall before he stopped and turned to her.

"I'll call you-" he stopped when the door opened. Ziva looked over her shoulder, towards McGee who stopped beside her after shutting the door, "I'll call you after we've spoke to Gibbs about any changes. And remember to talk to Abby," he said.

Guilt flowed through her, she looked from Tony to her feet and then up at McGee: "is she okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, you might have scared her a little with the bluntness of what you were saying, but we really should expect no less from you," he replied, a light chuckle in his voice as he attempted to lighten the atmosphere.

Ziva narrowed her eyes slightly at him: "I do not know whether to be flattered or offended by that." A snide tone behind her sarcastic remark.

"You better go," Tony stated, "I or someone will be in contact," he reminded her.

"Where will you guys be?" She asked.

"Can you hold your own?" Tony asked, continuing at the confident roll of her eyes. "We'll probably be at NCIS; we have access to everything there. Weapon?" He questioned.

"None," Ziva stated the feeling from the first day of being undercover returning to her stomach.

Tony dug his hand into his pocket, handing her the knife he kept on him.

"Just in case," he said.

"Are you okay, Ziva?" McGee asked when he the way she drew her lip into her mouth to lightly chew on and her thoughtful eyes as she looked at the knife her partner handed her.

"Yeah, just have a feeling; I'm sure it is nothing to worry about." She attempted a reassuring smile in Tim's direction as she put the knife into her own pocket, looking at Tony in a similar regard.

Tony's eyes locked with hers for a moment, his eye brows furrowing as he tried to decipher her thoughts. McGee felt, once again, that he was imposing on an intimate moment, but before he had time to look away their eyes unlocked as quickly as they had locked.

Ziva had broken the eye contact and turned on her heel, walking back to the apartment.

"What was that about?" McGee asked as he and Tony begun walking back to the car.

"Ziva is having premonitions, but I don't think she believes in herself enough to think much of it," Tony explained, his tone pensive, "well, that's what I think anyway."

"About what?"

"I couldn't tell you," Tony replied holding the door open of the apartment complex for the younger agent, clicking the button on the key ring to unlock the car.

It was a few minutes of driving in the direction of the navy yard before McGee spoke again. "Why does she do it?"

"Hey, you've still got them under surveillance?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, I'm listening at the moment," he replied, "I'm not going to forget about them."

"Them or Abby?" Tony inquired.

"Both," McGee said, "why doesn't Ziva believe in herself?"

"Are you seriously asking me that?" Tony asked, "you've been her partner for just as long as I have. You even got alone better with her than I did; she was friends with you before she was friends with me."

"From where I stand, she believes in herself an awful lot. You can't go around doing what she has done without believing in yourself to some degree-"

"No, no. She believes in her abilities, yes. But not IN herself, not her judgement," Tony said, "there's a difference. If she were to believe in herself, I have a feeling she wouldn't be in that apartment with those two men right now."

"You think one of them have something to do with it?"

"I think that's what Ziva thinks," Tony stated as he pulled into the Navy yard, flashing his ID at the gates before continuing to the parking garage.

"You ready to give Gibbs the bad news?" Tony asked.

"Not at all. Let's get it over with," McGee replied.

* * *

"Why are you here?" Gibbs asked when the two agents walked in to the squad room.

"Abby and Ziva have guests and we need to show you something," McGee said while he blew up the image of the stream from the apartment on one of the plasmas and turning the sound on.

"We got something?" He asked.

"Abby found it," Tony said, waiting while McGee continued to fiddle with the computer and his phone before standing up and walking to the front of the other plasma.

He pressed a few buttons on the clicker bringing up the picture as he began reporting.

"Abby was handed evidence earlier and told to run tests. When she looked at the log she found this," he pointed to the screen before zooming in on the names, "four names, four victims, in order on one piece of paper," he pointed out.

"What case is it?"

"Don't know, Abby said she only got this, no other information," Tony said, "there's one other thing," he added reluctantly.

"What is it?" Gibbs asked.

"While this may just have happened, just played out that way, we will need a new game plan in case this is the connection," he said. "Abby added her alias name to the evidence log, which would mean that if this is the link we've been looking for Abby just added herself to it which goes against what we originally planned," he explained.

Gibbs stated at the screen lined with names in thought, the only sound in the room coming from the four people talking on the other screen: "what do the girls want?"

"I'm sure if given the choice Ziva would want to get Abby out of there, but does if matter?" McGee asked, "we know that whoever's doing this is in there, if this is in fact the link, taking them out now could make us just as much as it would if I walked in demanding to talk to Agent Ziva David," he said, "they'd know, and would lie low for a while."

"Watch them, don't let either of them out of your sight, make sure you know what they're doing," Gibbs ordered.

"What about the game plan, boss, we need a new one," Tony said, "I told Ziva I'd ring her when I knew what was happening."

Gibbs looked reluctant to answer, instead he said: "I'll call her. Coffee?"

"No thanks," Tony and McGee answered together.

* * *

**Thanks for reading :)**


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